30 THE FLORIST. 



prize itself, that the place on the prize-list is more to the raiser than 

 the actual money received. And I imagine the Pelargonium-loving 

 public to look on with interest at your proceedings, and to form its 

 judgment in part from your decisions ; in fact, that the result of 

 that exhibition shall to a certain extent (it might to a considerable 

 extent) represent the annual progress of the flower. Then, I think, 

 you will agree with me, that four prizes will not be enough. What, 

 however, is to be done? Twelve pounds cannot be stretched into 

 twenty-four ; neither should the lowest prize be reduced below thirty 

 shillings, or the pubhc will think too meanly of the flower it represents. 

 But you may give eight prizes where you now give four, if you make 

 each prize exceed the one below it by five shillings. And as I think 

 we may fairly look for eight or more seedlings annually that are 

 improvements, this is the plan I would recommend ; and then the 

 value of the highest prize, and the aggregate number of prizes, will 

 depend on the state of the subscription-list. 



To shew you that I do take an interest in the institution, I beg 

 to subjoin for the assistance of the critical taste, or for the exercise 

 of the critical propensities of Florists, the following table of nineteen 

 points of a Pelargonium grouped into five classes. 



OF THE PLANT. 



Class I. Nature. 1. Habit. 2. Freedom of bloom. 3. Constancy of bloom. 

 4. Robustness of constitution, 



OF THE FLOWER. 



II. Shape. As a whole : 1. Circularity. 2. Surface-curvature. 3. Sit on 

 the calyx. In its parts: 1. Smoothness of edge. 2, Smoothness 

 of surface. 3. Breadth of under petals, especially at the extremity. 



III. Size. As a whole : Even a trifle in advance of the current average of 



good varieties. In its parts : Proportion between the upper petals 

 and the lower. 



IV. 1. Colour. Brightness and distinctness of each component, including 



the white, if any. 2. Harmony of colours, or high quality of com- 

 position. 3. Freedom from veins, and other unevennesses of colour 

 (except under certain circumstances in the blotch). 4. Richness and 

 velvety appearance, or high quality of tone. 5. Contrasts, namely : 

 In the margin, by the clearness and evenness of the colours con- 

 trasted by position. In the eye, by the abruptness of termination of 

 the colour, and purity of the white. Between the blotch, and the 

 ground on which it is laid. 6. Variety. In the number of harmo- 

 nising colours. In the forms in which they are disposed. In the 

 number of times they occur. 

 V. Substance. Of sufficient stoutness to maintain its shape, to avoid 

 transparence, and to escape " burning." 



On some of the above a few observations will be necessary, as it 

 is convenient to condense a table into as short a compass as possible. 



Class I. — There are some varieties which naturally grow too 

 stocky to be graceful, as there are many which run too long and 

 spindly, and a few which are little better than creepers. Several, 

 also, disperse their sap unevenly, and, without great care, would always 

 form straggling plants. The habit, therefore, should be close, and 

 inchned to throw out laterals ; yet with a decided tendency to grow 



